Global law firm appoints former US SEC official as partner

K&L Gates has appointed the former head of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Market Intelligence (OMI) as the newest partner of its government enforcement practice at its Washington, DC office.

Vincente L. Martinez, who will start with the global law firm in September, has nearly 13 years of public service under his belt including establishing the US market regulator’s Whistleblower Office under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

“Vince’s extensive knowledge and experience with SEC enforcement operations and securities regulation will benefit our clients looking to navigate the regulatory landscape of the securities and investment industry,” said David T. Case, administrative partner of K&L Gates’ Washington, D.C., office.

Martinez first joined the OMI as an assistant director shortly after it was established in 2010. The office, which part of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, is responsible for the collection, analysis, and dissemination and assessment of tips, complaints and referrals received and generated by the SEC.

In 2011, he moved to the CFTC to help establish the commission’s whistleblower program created under the Dodd-Frank Act to provide awards and protections for persons revealing violations of the Commodity Exchange Act.

In 2013, Martinez returned to OMI and became the office’s chief. As chief, he played a key role in developing SEC policies and procedures for responding to tips, complaints, and referrals.

Martinez also led the OMI’s efforts to remove dormant shell companies from the market; to support investigations of violations of Regulation M Rule 105; and to determine broker-dealer compliance under the Bank Secrecy Act.

The appointment of Martinez follows the naming of eight other new partners to the Washington, DC office of the law firm in recent months.